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METHOD FOR HANDLING SMALL ELEMENTS Filed Dec. 13, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Flagw I @E INVENTOR. I Cfiarles b. filial:

United States Patent 3,323,338 METHOD FOR HANDLING SMALL ELEMENTS Charles H. Allen, Pasco, Wash, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the United States Atomic Energy Commission Filed Dec. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 330,212 3 Claims. (Cl. 7239) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A process for handling small punched-out parts while they are being treated in a liquid and are being positioned for welding to other parts. According to this process the small parts are inserted into the long strip from which they have been punched out, the strip is coiled and along with the inserted parts is placed in the treating liquid, and the strip and inserted parts are fed to a welding machine in which the parts are removed from the strip and then welded.

The invention described herein was made in the course of, or under, a contract with the US. Atomic Energy Commission.

This invention relates to a method of forming and bandling small parts. More specifically, the invention relates to a method by which a long strip from which parts are formed is subsequently used to facilitate handling the parts during processing of the parts for their ultimate use.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the sequence of steps of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, showing dies of a first stage operating on a strip in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, partly in section, showing dies of a second stage operating on the strip;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4, but with the parts in a different position; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a coiled strip immersed in a cleaning liquid.

Reference is made to FIG. 1, from which an over-all understanding of the present invention may be had. A metal strip 10 enters a first stage 11, in which projections 12 are punched from the strip. In a second stage 13 parts are punched from the strip 10 and returned thereto. In a third stage 14 the strip 10 is coiled in such a way that the successive turns of the strip are spaced from one another by the projections 12 on the strip. In a fourth stage 15 the coiled strip 10 with its spaced turns is subjected to chemical processing that cleans the parts that have been returned to the strip. In a fifth stage 16 the strip 10 is uncoiled. The strip is then fed to an automatic welding machine (not shown) in which the parts returned to the strip are again removed from the strip and welded to' nuclear-fuel elements, for example, so as to become spacing ribs on the fuel elements. The strip 10 is moved in steps to the welding machine by a toothed member 17, which acts against the projections 12 on the strip and is driven by a step motor 18. In this manner, the returned parts are positioned exactly for being brought to their welding position in the welding machine, the projections 12 functioning as indexing means.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the first stage 11 comprises a recessed die 19 and a plurality of punches 20 which move downward into the die to perforate the strip 10 and form thereon the projections 12, which remain integrally 3,323,338 Fatented June 6, 1967 attached to the strip. The projections 12 are formed in two rows extending lengthwise of the strip 10, one row being relatively near one edge of the strip, the other row relatively near the other edge. In each row the projections 12 are equally spaced from one another. Each projection 12 in each row lies opposite a projection 12 in the other row generally on the same line transverse of the strip 10.

The first stage 11 also comprises two sets of upper and lower dies 21 and 22 which indent the lower side of the strip 10 and thin it at triangular regions 23, the purpose of which will be apparent presently. In this operation, the upper dies 21 move downward against the strip 10.

As shown in FIGURES 3, 5, and 6, the second stage 13 comprises upper and lower dies 24 and 25, and a spring 26 for the lower die 25, and upper and lower hold-down members 27 and 28 in which the dies 24 and 25 fit and move. Parts 29 are punched from the strip 10 and returned thereto by the dies 24 and 25 and spring 26. The holddown members 27 and 28 clamp the strip 10 while the dies 24 and 25 punch out a part 29. Each of the parts 29 extends transversely of the strip 10 and tapers from a maximum width at the middle to a minimum width at its pointed ends, which are formed at the aforementioned thinned triangular regions 23. The thinning at regions 23 facilitates punching out of the parts 29 as well as the welding of these parts to nuclear-fuel elements. The parts 29 cut across the rows of projections 12 so that each end of the parts lies generally between two projections 12, but somewhat closer to the edge of the strip 10 than the projections are. It is contemplated that, while the parts 29 are being punched out, they are also being specially shaped by the dies 24 and 25 so as to have curved upper and lower surfaces. Thus, the parts are adapted to be welded to cylindrical fuel elements.

In punching out the part 29, the upper die 24 moves downward against the strip 10. The lowerdie 25, which supports the strip 10 from below, yields against the spring 26, so that dies 24 and 25 assume the position of FIG. 5. In this position the part 29 is punched out of and completely separated from the strip 10. Now, as shown in FIG. 6, the upper die 24 is retracted upward, and the lower die 25 follows, under the action of the spring 26, inserting part 29 in the opening in the strip 10 from which the part was formed. The upward movement of the lower die 25 under action of the spring 26 is only enough to insert the part 29 in the strip 10,because of engagement of a flange 30 of the lower die 25 with an internal shoulder 31 of the lower holddown member 28. When the strip 10 leaves the second stage 13, it carries over its length a large number of parts 29, which, though formed from the strip, no longer have integral connections therewith but are only frictionally held in openings of the strip for further processing.

The strip .10 with the separated but frictionally held parts 29 therein is coiled in the third stage 14, which may involve a hand or a machine operation. The coiled strip 10 is then brought to the fourth or processing stage 15, which in FIG. 7 is represented as a tank 32, a body 33 of liquid therein, and a hanger 34, on which the coiled strip is suspended in the body of liquid. The strip 10 is coiled so that the projections 12 extend radially outward from the strip and space each turn of the coil from the tWo turns directly adjacent thereto, one radially inward of the given turn, the other radially outward thereof. Since the successive turns of the coiled strip 10 are spaced from one another by the projections 12, the body 33 of liquid has complete access to the upper and lower surfaces of each part 29.

It is contemplated that the strip 10 and the parts 29 punched therefrom may be of aluminum, and that the aluminum parts 29 will be welded to aluminum jackets of nuclear-fuel elements. If the parts 29 are of aluminum, then the body 33 of liquid may represent a number of baths of various solutions for degreasing, alkaline-cleaning, deoxidizing, rinsing, dehydrating, and drying the parts 29, and more particularly, the upper and lower surfaces thereof.

The coiled strip 16 is removed from the fourth or processing stage 15 and brought to the fifth stage 116 in which the strip is uncoiled. On being uncoiled, the strip moves in steps to the welding machine by the action of the toothed member 17 against the projections 12 on the strip. The movement in each step is equal to the distance between successive projections. In the welding machine the parts 29 are pushed out of the strip 10 at exactly the correct position to be handled for welding to nuclearfuel elements. The welding may be carried out in the manner disclosed in Worlton et al. application Ser. No. 210,863, filed July 18, 1962, now Patent No. 3,153,850.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the inventor has provided an inventive method for forming and handling small parts, which method comprises forming the parts out of a long strip by complete separation therefrom, inserting the parts in openings in the strip left by forming of the parts, treating the parts while in the strip, and removing the parts from the strip for ultimate use. Also included as an inventive part of the present process is the forming of integral projections on the strip which projections facilitate the processing of the parts in the strip in coiled form as well as feeding of the strip during the final operation of removing the parts from the strip and utilizing the parts.

As stated, the novel process of the present invention is particularly useful with small parts that are difficult to handle because of their small size. For example, aluminum parts may be 1" long, .19" wide, and .04" thick, and may be punched from an aluminum strip 1.25" wide and have a centerline spacing of .437" in the strip. A 100 length of the strip may be coiled for processing of the parts returned to the strip.

It is understood that the invention is not to be limited by the details given herein but that it may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

I1. A method of forming and handling small sheet-metal parts, comprising providing a strip of sheet metal somewhat wider than the length of said parts, punching from said strip projections remaining integrally joined to said strip, punching said parts from said strip so as completely to separate the parts from the strip, returning said parts to the strip and lodging them in the openings in the strip produced by the punching-out of the parts, coiling the strip so as to make the projections of one turn of the strip space the turn from an adjacent turn of the strip, subjecting the coiled strip to a liquid treatment, uncoiling the strip, and successively pushing the parts from the strip at a work stat-ion.

2. A method of forming and handling small sheet-metal parts, comprising providing a strip of sheet metal somewhat wider than the length of said parts, punching from said strip two rows of projections, the rows extending longitudinally of the strip, one row being near one side edge of the strip, the other row being near the other side, the projections in each row being spaced from one another longitudinally of the strip and remaining integrally joined to said strip, punching said parts from said strip so as completely to separate the parts from the strip, each part having one end located between two successive projections of one row and the other end located between two successive projections of the other row, returning said parts to the strip and lodging them in the openings in the strip produced by the punching-out of the parts, coiling the strip so as to make the projections of one turn of the strip space the turn from an adjacent turn of the strip, subjecting the coiled strip to a liquid treatment, uncoiling the strip, and successively pushing the parts from the strip at a work station.

3. A method of forming and handling small sheet-metal parts, comprising providing a strip of sheet metal somewhat wider than the length of said parts, punching from said strip two rows of projections, the rows extending longitudinally of the strip, one row being near one side edge of the strip, the other row being near the other side, the projections in each row being spaced from one another longitudinally of the strip and remaining integrally joined to said strip, punching said parts from said strip so as completely to separate the parts from the strip, each part having one end located between two successive projections of one row and the other end located between two successive projections of the other row, returning said parts to the strip and lodging them in the openings in the strip produced by the punching-out of the parts, coiling the strip so as to make the projections of one turn of the strip space the turn from an adjacent turn of the strip, subjecting the coiled strip to a liquid treatment, uncoiling the strip, introducing said strip into a work station such that said parts are momentarily stopped at a fixed position in said work station, said last named step comprising periodically pushing successive projections along for the distance between said projections, and successively pushing the parts from the strip at said fixed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,161,191 11/1915 Cook 29423 1,392,781 10/1921 Marsh et a1. 72-39 1,941,892 1/1934 Greve 72379 2,335,334 11/1943 Yoder 7Z-129 3,228,227 1/ 1966 Daniels 72324 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,334,442 7/1963 France.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF FORMING AND HANDLING SMALL SHEET-METAL PARTS, COMPRISING PROVIDING A STRIP OF SHEET METAL SOMEWHAT WIDER THAN THE LENGTH OF SAID PARTS, PUNCHING FROM SAID STRIP PROJECTIONS REMAINING INTEGRALLY JOINED TO SAID STRIP, PUNCHING SAID PARTS FROM THE STRIP SO AS COMPLETELY TO SEPARATE THE PARTS FROM THE STRIP, RETURNING SAID PARTS TO THE STRIP AND LODGING THEM IN THE OPENINGS IN THE STRIP PRODUCED BY THE PUNCHING-OUT OF THE PARTS, COILING THE STRIP SO AS TO MAKE THE PROJECTIONS OF ONE TURN OF THE STRIP SPACE THE TURN FROM AN ADJACENT TURN OF THE STRIP, 